1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for Polymerase Chain Reaction (“PCR”), High Resolution Melt (“HRM”) analysis and microfluidics, and, more specifically, to a method and system for implementing the processes of PCR and HRM on a microscale in a microfluidics chamber for certain purposes including for purposes of DNA detection and/or extraction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Polymerase Chain Reaction (“PCR”) is a ubiquitous molecular biology tool used in thousands of different applications. In brief, this molecular biology tool is used to produce (“amplify”) a sufficient number (sometimes millions to billions) of copies of a particular DNA sequence so that the sequence can adequately be used in these applications. Essentially, PCR makes a sample of DNA that is large enough so that the sample can be appropriately analyzed. As just one example of a typical application for PCR amplification, it is a common detection and/or identification method and tool used, for example, in clinical applications, scientific investigations, and in biological warfare agent (“BWA”) detection systems.
High Resolution Melt (“HRM”) is another molecular biology tool. This tool is used to detect a variety of differences (e.g., mutations, other types of genetic sequence differences) in samples of double stranded DNA, which is based on the detected melting temperature/behavior of the double stranded DNA sequence(s) at issue. HRM is performed post PCR amplification, which is performed to obtain a sufficient number of copies of the DNA sequence(s) of interest.
The concept of doing PCR “on a chip” or using microfluidics is not fieldable by conventional technology at this time because no rugged detection system exists, most being based on fluorescence and optics.